Photo: Hollywood Park
Slumber and Island Paradise, a pair of English candidates
trained by Charles Hills for the Turf Festival next week, were two of five
European arrivals Wednesday.
Foreman Geoff Snook and exercise rider Heather Johnson
enjoyed the scenery at Hollywood Park Thursday as they awaited the Hills duo to
clear quarantine Friday.
Juddmonte Farm’s Slumber is scheduled to run in the
Hollywood Derby November 27, while Island Paradise will vie in the $100,000
Miesque Stakes for 2-year-old fillies
November 25.
“I started out with Barry Hills, Charles’s father, in 1970,”
said Snook. “Charles took over for his
father in August. He said the two horses left Lambourn, about 60 miles from London, and were driven over the channel to Amsterdam before the
10-hour flight to LAX.
Snook said he expected Slumber, an English-bred son of
Cacique, to be forwardly placed. “In his last race, he made the lead,” said
Snook of a victory in the James Seymour Stakes at Newmarket at 1 ¼ miles October 29. “They
tried him once this year at 1 ½ miles, and he didn’t quite stay.”
Island Paradise will
make her first start for Hills. She was purchased by Canadian owner Richard
Bonnycastle after her last race.